Software testing refers to the process of gauging a software product for quality. It is also done to make the product better and minimize all the errors and problems with it. For professional software testing endeavours, we have something called the STLC or Software Testing Life Cycle.
Professionals responsible for the testing process are usually called software testers. While smaller and simple software products require only a few, or even a single, testers, complex, full-fledged software products demand a dedicated testing team.
There are several job profiles in software testing, starting from testers and test analysts to testing managers and test designers. In addition to software testing courses, there are numerous software testing certifications available for both aspirants and professionals.
Best Software Testing Certification
There are all sorts of software testing certifications available, beginner-level for aspirants, intermediate-level for individuals with some testing experience, and master- and expert-level for professionals with many years of software testing experience.
In addition to making a portfolio attractive, certifications also grant individuals the opportunity to assess their knowledge and learn more about their craft. If you’re looking for a relevant software testing certification, consider checking out these top 7 software testing certifications:
1. ISTQB Foundation Level (CTFL)
Level: Beginner
Offered by: International Software Testing Qualifications Board (ISTQB)
Exam Details:
- Format - Multiple-choice
- Total Questions - 40
- Total time - 60 minutes (15 additional minutes for participants taking the examination in a non-native language.)
- Passing Score - 65%
Fee:$250
The ISTQB Foundation Level (CTFL) certification is for anyone interested in demonstrating basic software testing knowledge, including types of software testing, test planning and designing, defect management, and assessing project and product risks.
This certification is apt for bagging foundational roles in testing, such as testers, test analysts, and testing consultants. There are no eligibility criteria for the ISTQB Foundation Level (CTFL) certification.
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2. ISTQB Agile Tester Certification
Level: Intermediate
Offered by: ISTQB
Exam Details:
- Format - Multiple-choice
- Total Questions - 40
- Total time - 60 minutes
- Passing Score - 65%
Fee:$150
Agile testing is a newer approach to software testing that has been gaining traction lately. It is based on the Agile software development methodology. This certification is intended for:
- Entry-level testers are interested in Agile testing.
- Experienced testers in traditional approaches to software development.
- Expert developers tied to Agile projects with basic knowledge of testing.
The ISTQB Agile Tester certification is an add-on to the ISTQB Foundation Level (CTFL) certification. This means that interested candidates must first have a valid ISTQB Foundation Level (CTFL) certification to apply for the ISTQB Agile Tester certification.
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3. ISTQB Advanced Level Test Analyst
Level: Advanced
Offered by: ISTQB
Exam Details:
- Format - Multiple-choice
- Total Questions - 60
- Total time - 180 minutes
- Passing Score - 75%
Fee:$250
One of the best software testing certifications for individuals working in mid-range job profiles in the software testing industry to prove their metal as a professional test analyst is the ISTQB Advanced Level Test Analyst certification.
It is intended for software testers, software engineers, automation engineers, etc. In order to successfully apply for the advanced-level software testing certification, candidates need to have the ISTQB Foundation Level (CTFL) certification and must meet one of the following conditions:
- A degree in computer science or related field from an accredited institution + 24 months of software testing experience for taking *2 sub-modules or 36-month experience for taking all the three sub-modules.
- A non-bachelor degree from an accredited institution + At least 60-month experience working in software testing.
The three sub-modules are:
- Technical Test Analyst
- Test Analyst
- Test Manager
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4. Advanced Level Security Tester
Level: Advanced
Offered by: ISTQB
Exam Details:
- Format - Multiple-choice
- Total Questions - 45
- Total time - 120 minutes (30 minutes extra for candidates giving the examination in a non-native language.)
- Passing Score - 65%
Fee: $249
The Advanced Level Security Tester certification is meant for testing professionals who already have accumulated several years of experience and are now looking to take one big step further in their professional lives. A certified Advanced Level Security Tester is capable of:
- Analyzing and documenting security test needs.
- Assisting an organization in building information security awareness.
- Evaluating an existing security test suite and suggesting additional security tests.
- Identifying security test objectives for a project.
- Planning, evaluating, and performing security tests from various perspectives, including policy-based, risk-based, and vulnerability-based.
The syllabus for the advanced-level software testing certification is available on the official ISTQB website. Requisites for the Advanced Level Security Tester certification are:
- Having a valid ISTQB Foundation Level (CTFL) certification, and
- At least 3 years of relevant academic, practical, or consulting experience.
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5. Advanced Level Agile Technical Tester
Level: Advanced
Offered by: ISTQB
Exam Details:
- Format - Multiple-choice
- Total Questions - 40
- Total time - 90 minutes (23 minutes extra for candidates giving the examination in a non-native language.)
- Passing Score - 65%
Fee: $249
For candidates interested in advancing their career in agile testing, one of the best certifications available is the Advanced Level Agile Technical Tester. Requisites for the software testing certification are:
- A valid ISTQB Foundation Level (CTFL) certification,
- A valid ISTQB Agile Tester certification,
- A bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution, and
- Some professional experience in software testing (determined by the Exam Board through which candidates undertake the course).
A certified Advanced Level Agile Tester is capable of applying agile techniques for ensuring adequate testing coverage, creating and implementing several Agile testing approaches, defining testable requirements, etc. Syllabus for the Advanced Level Agile Tester Certification includes:
- Aspects of Code Quality.
- Deployment and Delivery.
- Requirement Engineering.
- Test Automation.
- Test-Driven Development (TDD).
- Testing in Agile.
You can buy this book here.
6. Unified Functional Testing v14.x Certified Professional UFT120-14-ASP
Level: Intermediate
Offered by: Micro Focus Education
Exam Details:
- Format - Multiple-choice
- Total Questions - 45
- Total time - 2 hours
- Passing Score - 70%
Fee:$200
Introduced recently, UFT120-14-ASP is the latest certification for the popular testing tool UFT (Unified Functional Testing), historically known as QTP. Based on the latest Micro Focus UFT v14.x version, this software testing certification exam assesses a candidate’s ability in:
- Software testing,
- Knowledge of software testing principles and practices, and
- Expertise in UFT.
Now, only being offered at the ASP (Accredited Software Professional) level, the certification exam was previously offered for 3 more levels:
- ASE - Accredited Software Expert,
- CSE - Certified Software Expert and
- CSP - Certified Software Professional.
To champion the Unified Functional Testing v14.x Certified Professional exam. Micro Focus offers the UFT120-Unified Functional Testing 14.x Essentials training course via its Micro Focus Education platform. The entire syllabus for the exam is divided into 6 modules:
- Module 1: MF UFT Overview
- Module 2: MF UFT GUI Testing
- Module 3: Working with Objects
- Module 4: Enhancing GUI Tests
- Module 5: UFT API Testing
- Module 6: Setting up and Viewing Run Results in UFT
You can buy this book here.
7. Certified Software Test Professional Associate Level (CSTP-A)
Level: Beginner
Offered by: International Institute for Software Testing (IIST)
Exam Details:
- Format - N/A
- Total Questions - N/A
- Total Time - N/A
- Passing Score - 80%
Fee: $120
IIST started offering Certified Software Test Professional (CSTP) back in 1991. The Associate-level CSTP is a fitting software testing certification for individuals looking to kick start their career in the lucrative field of software testing.
Although CSTP-A is intended for freshers, there are two other CSTP levels, namely, Practitioner-level and Master-level, that are suitable for product managers, QA specialists, and other professionals with a multi-year experience in software testing. CSTP-A covers:
- Principles and practices involved with software testing.
- Defect tracking.
- Requirements definition, refinement, and verification.
- Static testing.
- Test automation, design, and management.
You can buy this book here.
Self-Studying Software Testing
In present, software testing is a lucrative career avenue. Hence, it is high time to learn software testing. There are several types of learning material available, ranging from free, YouTube video tutorials to paid, premium software testing courses, and books.
Regardless of the medium (or media), you choose to learn software testing, all you need to focus on is practice. Also, you need to experiment a lot while testing. Be creative and exploratory in your approach to implementing software testing.
Some More Best Software Testing Certifications
Can’t get enough of the best software testing certifications? Here are some more top software testing certifications to check out:
- Advanced Level Test Automation Engineer by ISTQB.
- Certified Automation Functional Testing Professional by Vskills.
- Certified Agile Software Test Professional Master Level (CASTP-M) by IIST.
- Certified Agile Software Test Professional Practitioner Level (CASTP-P) by IIST.
- Certified Mobile Software Test Professional (CMSTP) by IIST.
- Certified Software Test Automation Architect by IIST.
- Certified Software Test Automation Specialist by IIST.
- Professional Scrum Developer Certification by Scrum - Although meant for developers, as testers are also a part of development teams and Agile teams, this certification can also benefit software tests as it covers Agile testing to a vast degree.
Conclusion
That completes our list of the best software testing certification programs. While the community is polarized on the importance of a certification, if it gives you confidence and motivates you, there’s no need to take a step back from gaining a software testing certification. I wish you all the luck and success!
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